Miserable failure

[nelmo]

So my son has bought himself an old MX5 as his second car and he loves it - so much so that he is actually keen to do some work on it. So I thought I'd do some father/son bonding and show him how to change the oil (small steps). 

But could I do even that?

The car is too low to get underneath for the sump plug but I just couldn't get it up in the air. The jacking points are fairly small and I couldn't get my axle stands on them without risking damaging the plastic sills.

Then, I couldn't get the car to drive up my ramps - I had to do it slowly because the front overhang was very close to hitting the ramp but going slowly meant my ramps just slid forward on my gravel driveway. 

So that went well... 

[fry61]

Have a word with a local builder for some off-cuts of scaffold plank, nail a batten across to engage with the ramps low down.

[blue]

You get these in machine mart. Amazon etc 

[nelmo]

Ramps onto ramps?

My son is going to talk to the college he is at - they do a car mechanics course and have full garage facilities, including a car lift - maybe they'll let us use that...?

[ozz]

I use my caravan levelling ramps which I run mine up you can then get the jack underneath and jack up on middle of the front cross member.

 

If doing the rear same ramps and jack on the diff.

There is a double skinned section on the chassis rails (one either side running front to back) (Not sills - don't even breath on old mx5 sills) front and rear for jack stands.

For the oil filter you will need a special tool https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/filter-removal-tool-mk1-25-mk4-p-3324.html otherwise it will be very difficult.

Edited March 16, 2021 by ozz

[ozz]

http://www.mazdamenders.net/forum/

rhocar for mx5s